Anti-recoil firearm



Dec. 16, 1969 s, SPECKHART 3,483,648

ANTI-RECOIL FIREARM Filed March l, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR Jie/@ @www Bf f 62M, 4L.

ATTORNEY S. SPECKHR ANTI-RECOIL FIREARM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1968 u .m k. .A w// .w .r1 w Q 1: f M? i.. 0... 4 ..Sv bm.) mm.. l f I. N NV v l s n -ww will i l Ir /Mx///v W \N\%N. QN

Dec. 16, 1969 s. SPECKHART 3,483,648

ANTI-RECOIL FIREARM Filed March l, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 e/f/Jyng. 55 70 77 @7 7 2 M (ff, 777/ M, 7 @j ATTORNEY United States Patent Olice 3,483,648 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 3,483,648 ANTI-RECOIL FIREARM Stephen Speckhart, 78 Lexington Ave., Maplewood, N.J. 07040 Filed Mar. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 709,728 Int. Cl. F41c 5/06, 19/00 U.S. Cl. 42--10 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There has long existed a definite need for a greatly simplified anti-recoil mechanism and related cartridge firing means particularly for single shot, manually loaded firearms, both of the rifle and shotgun types. The prior art contains numerous teachings of anti-recoil mechanism and related automatic firing devices for repeat firing automatic and semi-automatic firearms, usually of the military type. These prior art mechanisms are far too complex and costly to be adaptable to or suitable for manual single shot type arms commonly employed for sporting and target use, including skeet and trap shooting and some hunting. The present invention, therefore, satisfies the above need in the art for a simplified, economical and practical anti-recoil mechanism as well as a safe mechanism of this character for arms of the rifle and shotgun types primarily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its simplest embodiment, the invention includes a sliding barrel assembly, a trigger mechanism to release the barrel assembly and a spring means to propel the barrel assembly forwardly toward a cartridge firing position and to absorb the recoil force on the barrel assembly after firing. The barrel assembly consists of the barrel proper and a connected breech sleeve which contains a firing pin and a tiring pin lever or operator. An adjustable firing cam on the rifle operates the firing pin lever just before the barrel assembly achieves maximum forward velocity under influence of the spring means.

In a modified shotgun embodiment, the same general mode of operation prevails and the primary difference is that the barrel proper is fixed and there is provided within a fixed barrel extension a sliding breech block assembly including a massive insert for the shot shell or cartridge. This breech block assembly travels forwardly as a unit when released by a trigger mechanism and again carries the firing pin and operating lever so that firing takes place automatically when the breech block assembly nears the forward limit of its travel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE l is a side elevation of a rifie embodying the anti-recoil mechanism forming the subject matter of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical section through the rifle shown in FIGURE l with the mechanism in a cocked position ready for firing;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the mechanism at the instant of firing;

FIGURE 4 is a further cross sectional view similar to FIGURES 2 and 3 on a somewhat reduced scale showing the maximum recoil position of the mechanism after firing;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating the operation of a safety device;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is a similar section taken on line 8-8 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is a central vertical longitudinal section through a firearm of the shotgun type embodying a modification of the invention;

FIGURE l0 is a horizontal section taken on line 10- 10 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE ll is a cross sectional view, similar to FIG- URE 9, showing the mechanism at the instant of firing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals designate like parts, attention is directed first to FIGURES l through 8 showing the rifle embodiment. In these figures, a single shot manually loaded rifle s illustrated having a barrel 20 connected at its rear end as by screwthreads 21 with a breech sleeve or chamber element 22. The barrel 20 and breech sleeve 22 form a unit which may slide longitudinally of the stock 23 during the firing and recoil cycle, as will be fully described. The rear portion of the breech sleeve 22 is housed in a fixed guard 24 on the stock of the rifle. The bore of the barrel 20 is indicated at 25 having the usual chamber 26 for a single rifle cartridge 27.

The breech sleeve 22 contains a longitudinally movable breechblock 28 having a cavity 29` in its forward portion receiving a longitudinally movable firing pin 30, aligned axially with the primer cap of the cartridge. A spring 31 urges the firing pin to a retracted or inactive position prior to firing, FIGURE 2. Rearwardly of the firing pin, a firing pin lever 32 is pivotally mounted within a slot 33 of the breechblock by a cross pivot pin 34 of the breechblock 28. A bottom extension 35 of the firing pin lever projects through and below a slot 36 in the bottom of the breech sleeve 22, and into a clearance passage 37 or groove formed in the stock of the rifie.

As shown in FIGURE 2, prior to firing, the lever 32 is engaged on its :rear side by a pointed stop element 38 having screw-threaded engagement as at 39 within a central opening 40 formed in the rear of breechblock 28. A compressible coil spring 41 enters ythe opening 40 and bears against the back of stop element 38 to urge the entire breechblock asembly forwardly into cove-ring engagement with the rear of cartridge chamber 26, as shown in FIGURE 2. The `rear end of spring 41 is centered within a socket opening of a plug 42 fixedly mounted within the rear of the breech sleeve 22. It may be seen that the barrel 20, breech sleeve 22 and all parts within the ybreech sleeve form a unit Which -may be moved relative to the stock 23 and guard 24. Also, the breechblock 28 and all parts mounted thereon are movable relative to the barrel and breech sleeve and this assembly is biased forwardly within the breech sleeve by the spring means 41.

The rifle has `a conventional trigger 43 operating a sear lever 44 having a pivot 45. The sear lever is engageable within a detent opening 46 of breech sleeve 22 to releasably hold the assembly of barrel and breech sleeve in a 3. retracted or cocked position. Pulling of the trigger 43 in the usual manner will remove the sear lever from the detent opening 46 and release the barrel assembly for forward movement.

A strong spring means, such .as one or more coil springs 47, is housed under the barrel within the rest portion 48 of the ritie stock. The forward end of the spring means 47 bears against an abutment element 49 rigidly secured to the barrel 20 and this abutment element transmits the expansive force of the spring means to the barrel when the sear lever 44 releases the breech sleeve 22 enabling the entire barrel assembly to be instantly thrust forwardly by the spring means 47. At this time, the spring 41 will maintain the breechblock 28 in closing relationship with the mouth of chamber 26 and the stop element 38 will be engaging the tiring -pin lever 32.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a firing cam 50, secured adjustably to a holder 51 which is pivoted at 52 to the rille structure and has a removable pin element 53 for securing the holder and cam in ran active position relative to the ring pin lever 32. A suitable recess 54 is provided in the small of the stock to accommodate the cam 50. As shown in FIGURE 2, the cam 50 is adjustable to several different longitudinal positions as at 55 so that it may actuate the firing pin lever 32 at precisely the correct instant. The cam 50 is in the path of movement of the extension 35 of the firing pin lever as the same travels forwardly with the barrel assembly due to the action of the spring means 47 when the trigger is pulled.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the relative positions of parts of the mechanism at the instant of tiring. The trigger 43 has been pulled rearwardly and the sear lever 44 has released the sleeve 22 and this sleeve and the entire barrel 20 have been thrust forwardly by the strong spring means 47. The spring 41 has continued to hold the breechblock 28 yieldably in contact with the rear of cartridge chamber 26 which is at the rear of the barrel. When the barrel assembly advances suiciently for the pivoted firing pin lever extension -to strike the ring cam 50, FIGURE 3, the firing pin 30 will be thrust `forwardly to explode or fire the cartridge 37. The actual tiring will take place when the barrel assembly is substantially at the forward limit of its travel and at the point of maximum velocity under influence of the spring means 47. Thus, at the instant of tiring, the forward movement of the barrel assembly will add to the eventual muzzle velocity of the projectile and the maximum degree of recoil energy will be absorbed by the mass of the barrel assembly and the resistance of the spring means as the `direction of movement of this mass is reversed due to recoil.

FIGURE 4 shows the condition of the mechanism at the point of maximum recoil. The barrel 20 'and breech sleeve 22 have returned to their rearmost positions corresponding to FIGURE 2 so that the Sear lever 44 may again latch the assembly yin a cocked position. Additionally, in FIGURE 4, the breechblock 28 and the parts carried thereby have ben forced rearwardly to the plug 42 and the spring 41 has yielded and has cushioned this Imovement of the breechblock. While the breech sleeve 22 now remains in the position shown in FIGURE 4, the spring 41 will expand and return the breechblock 28 to its position of FIGURE 2 where the parts are again conditioned for ring.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a cross bolt or safety 56 rotated to the active position for locking the sear lever 44 in holding relationship with the breech sleeve 22 so that the trigger 43 cannot be pulled and the ritle cannot be tired. This is substantially conventional. In the other figures, the safety 56 is shown in the inactive or off position.

An operating handle 57, FIGURES 1 and 5, is secured rigidly to the breechblock 28 near its rear end .and projects through a longitudinal slot 58 in the xed g-uard 24, lwhich slot 58 extends through the forward end of the guard, FIGURE 1, and receives the shank 60 of the handle 57. A narrower slot 61 is formed through the wall of breech sleeve 22, FIGURE 5, in registration with the slot 58 to also receive the shank 60 and thus allow the user to grasp the handle 57 and retract the breechblock 28 to the rearmost position land releasably lock it in this position by utilizing bayonet slot extension 59 in the sleeve 22. This permits manual removal of the spent cartridge through a cartridge eject opening `62 in the side wall of -the breech sleeve 22 and the manual loading of a new cartridge into the chamber 26 while the breechblock 28 is retracted. The handle 57 is also utilized to initially cock the rearm or place it in the condition of FIGURE 2 for a iirst tiring. When the shank 60 is released from the locking slot portion 59 by a slight turning action, the breechblock 28 is correspondingly released `and may be moved by the spring -41 to its nor-mal position as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. The breechblock 28 may assume the position shown in FIGURE 4 under two conditions, namely, when retracted by the handle 57 for loading or at the point of maximum recoil after ring.

In light of the foregoing complete description, it is now apparent that the firearm in FIGURES l through 8 has definite anti-recoil characteristics in that a major part of the recoil energy is absorbed in reversing the movement of the barrel assembly and returning it to the cocked position. Also, the forward movement of the barrel assembly by Ithe spring means 47 when the trigger is 4pulled adds to the ultimate muzzle velocity of the iirearm. All of this is achieved by an extremely simple mechanism ideally suited to manual single shot firearms.

FIGURES 9 through ll show a modified form of the invention as applied to a shotgun. In this form, the barrel 63 is stationary and secured at 64 to a Stationay barrel extension or sleeve 65 on the stock v66. Instead of the moving barrel assembly of the rifle embodiment, a movable breechblock assembly 67 is provided for movement Within the sleeve 65, consisting of a fairly massive Shell sleeve 68 which receives and holds the shot shell 69. Behind this sleeve 68 is a breechblock 70 containing firing pin 71, tiring pin lever 72 and lever stop 73, all substantially identical in construction and operation to the corresponding components in the prior embodiment. An adjustable tiring cam 74 and tiring cam holder 75 are provided in substantially the identical manner described in the prior embodiment. The tiring pin lever 72 passes through a slot 76 in lixed sleeve 65 when the trigger is pulled and engages the cam 74 for firing exactly as in the prior embodiment.

The entire assembly 67 is initially thrust forwardly by springs 77 and 78 when the pulling of trigger 79 causes Sear lever 80 to release the breechblock assembly 67, said assembly having a locking detent for the sear lever substantially identical to the previously-described locking detent 46 in FIGURES 2 and 3. In FIGURE 9, the Sear lever 80 projects through a clearance slot 81 in the fixedV sleeve 85, The usual safety 82 is also provided. A removable cap 83 on the rear of lixed sleeve 65 backs up the two springs 78 and 77. FIGURE 9 shows the parts positioned when the gun is cocked and ready to be tired. FIG- URE ll shows the parts at the instant of ring.

In FIGURE l1, the trigger has been pulled and the assembly 67 has been released and thrust forwardly by the springs 77 and 78. The shell holding sleeve 68 and shell 69 have also been pushed forwardly toward the xed barrel 63 which has the usual forcing cone 84 at its rear end. In FIGURE 1l, the tiring pin lever 72 has been tripped by the firing cam 74 and is serving as the hammer automatically to thrust the tiring pin 71 forwardly to tire the shell 69. At the moment of ring, the forward crimp of the shell is shown opening into the forcing cone 84 and the shot will travel into the bore of barrel 63.

The recoil force, due to this `tiring action, will drive the assembly 68 rearwardly to the maximum recoil position which is substantially the cocked position of FIG- URES 9 and 10.

To facilitate loading and unloading, FIGURE 10, the shell holding sleeve 68 has a knob or handle 86 thereon operating within a suitable slot 87 in the fixed sleeve or barrel extension 65. A bayonet-type lock and release device 88 is provided and loading and unloading of the shell takes place through a side opening 89 of sleeve 65 when the sleeve 68 is turned to the unloading position by knob 86.

In general, the advantages of the embodiment in FIG- URES 9 through 11 are the same as for the previous embodiment. An anti-recoil mechanism is provided upon a shotgun with great simplicity and low cost, as compared to the much more complex anti-recoil means of automatic type weapons.

In connection with FIGURES 9 through 11, additional spring pressure on the assembly 67 may be provided by springs arranged outside of the confines of the barrel and suitably connected to the breechblock 70. While not shown in the drawings, such arrangement would be similar to the spring means 47 in the rifle embodiment. In both forms of the invention, many variations of the spring propelling means may be utilized and the arrangements shown in the drawings are illustrative only and should not be taken in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An anti-recoil firearm comprising a manually held firearm body, a movable firing assembly on said body, said assembly comprising a breechblock assembly and a cartridge holding sleeve forwardly of the breechblock assembly and abutting the latter, a firing pin and a firing pin operating lever on the breechblock assembly, said firearm having a fixed barrel and a fixed sleeve extension on the rear end of the barrel, the fixed sleeve extension slidably holding the breechblock assembly and the cartridge holding sleeve as a movable unit, a relatively stationary .firing cam on said firearm body in the path of movement of the firing pin operating lever and actuating the lever to thrust the firing pin to a firing position, a trigger mechanism on the firearm body including a sear engaging the breechblock assembly releasably and holding said assembly in a retracted non-firing position, and resilient means having a connection with said movable firing assembly and a connection with said firearm body and thrusting the movable assembly forward to a firing position when the assembly is released from its retracted position by said trigger mechanism.

2. An anti-recoil firearm as defined by claim 1, and wherein the spring means comprises at least one compression spring within the fixed sleeve extension having an end bearing against the breechblock assembly.

3. An anti-recoil firearm as defined by claim 2, and wherein the breechblock assembly comprises a breechblock body, a firing pin mounted on the breechblock body for longitudinal reciprocation at the forward end thereof, a pivoted firing pin lever on the breechblock body projecting externally of the fixed sleeve extension, and the breechblock body having a recess receiving said compression spring.

4. An anti-recoil firearm as defined by claim 3, said breechblock body having a slot within which the firing pin lever may swing, and an adjustable stop element on the breechblock body engaging one side of the pivoted firing pin lever and limiting pivoting of such lever in one direction.

5. An anti-recoil firearm as defined by claim 4, and wherein the stop element has screw-threaded engagement with the breechblock body, said firing pin being springurged rearwardly into contact with the forward side of the firing pin lever.

6. An anti-recoil rie comprising a stock, a barrel assembly mounted upon the stock and being movable lengthwise of the stock, the rilie assembly including a barrel and a rear sleeve extension secured to the barrel, the barrel having a cartridge chamber at its rear end communicating with the sleeve extension, a trigger mechanism on the stock adapted to releasably secure the barrel assembly in a rearward cocked position, spring means interconnecting the stock and barrel assembly and urging the assembly forwardly toward a firing position, a breechblock element slidably mounted within the sleeve extension for forward and rearward movement relative thereto, a spring means interconnecting the breechblock element and sleeve extension and urging the breechblock element forwardly into contact with the rear end of the barrel to thereby cover the cartridge chamber, a reciprouatory firing pin on the breechblock element projectable forwardly thereof for firing the cartridge, a spring connected with the firing pin and normally holding the firing pin in a retracted position, a pivoted operator for the liring pin on the breechblock element and projecting exteriorly of the sleeve extension, and a relatively stationary firing cam on the stock in the path of forward movement of the pivoted firing pin operator and engaging the operator for firing the cartridge when the barrel assembly has attained substantially its maximum forward velocity relative to the stock.

7. An anti-recoil riiie as defined by claim 6, and an adjustable stop element on the breechblock element engagin the pivoted firing pin operator and positively limiting'the pivoting of the operator in one direction.

8. An anti-recoil rifie as defined by claim 6, and a guard housing on the stock receiving and partially enclosing said sleeve extension.

9. An anti-recoil rifle as defined by claim 8, and a handle element secured to the breechblock element and extending externally of the guard housing and said sleeve extension, the guard housing and sleeve extension having slots receiving the handle.

10. An anti-recoil firearm comprising a relatively stationary body portion, a barrel and rear barrel sleeve extension fixedly secured to the body portion, a cartridge holding sleeve mounted within said barrel sleeve extension for forward and rearward movement therein, a breechblock element within the sleeve extension rearwardly of the cartridge holding sleeve, a trigger mechanism on said body portion adapted to releasably secure the breechblock element in a rearward cocked position within the sleeve extension, a spring means engaging the breechblock element within the sleeve extension and urging the breechblock element and cartridge holding sleeve forwardly toward the rear end of the barrel and toward a firing position, firing pin means on the breechblock element including an operator projecting externally of the sleeve extension, and a firing cam on the body portion externally of the sleeve extension in the path of movement of said operator and causing firing of the cartridge When the breechblock element and cartridge holding sleeve have attained substantially their maximum forward velocity under iniiuence of said spring means.

2,590,897 4/1952 Simpson 89-161 X 2,756,635 7/1956 Engel et al. 89-17 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

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